John Knight:
CLASS OF 1970
River Heights Junior High SchoolClass of 1970
Winnipeg, MB
Kelvin High SchoolClass of 1974
Winnipeg, MB
Brock Corydon Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Winnipeg, MB
Ft. Rouge Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Winnipeg, MB
Qaqqalik SchoolClass of 1964
Kimmirut, NU
John's Story
Life
In January of 1973, my life was pretty miserable. I was struggling with most of my subjects in Grade 12. I also felt unappreciated and uncared for, and if that was all that life had to offer, I decided to opt out.
Eight days before my 18th birthday, i attempted suicide, but was unsuccessfulin the attempt, but lost my eyesight!
During the spring that followed, I learnt the skills that I would need to go back to, and successfully complete from Kelvin High School.
From Kelvin High, I went to the University of Manitoba, where they had a Computer Programming course specially designed for blind and visually-handicapped students. It was a course that lasted one year, and having completed it, I attempted to find work.
My search for work didn't pan out, so I went back to the University, and over the next two and a half years, completed several General Arts courses.
During this time, I got involved in blind athletics, joining the provincial team, and participating in the Canada Games for the Physically Handicapped, in 1976. They were held in Cambridge, ontario, and I managed to win 2 Gold medals. My wins came in Shot Put, and Javelin.
Due to my good showing at that competition, I was named to the Olympic team, that would represent our country at the Olympics for the Disabled, to take place in Etobicoke, ontario. There, I managed a 6th place in Javelin and 7th in the Shot Put competition.
During this time, also, I met a nice young woman named Delia Doerksen, who was visually-handicappe...Expand for more
d. She also joined the athletic team, and competed against other female athletes at the competitions held in St. John's, Newfoundland, in August 1978.
When we got back home to Manitoba from that competition, we started dating.
We got engaged in April, 1979, and got married in 1980.
In 1982, we moved from Winnipeg to Steinbach, where I enrolled as a student at Steinbach Bible College. I studied on a part-time basis for the nest 3 years, the tiring of the studies, I took a break and we moved back to Winnipeg.
During the time in Steinbach, we were blessed with two sons. Our first-born, was Matthew Emersen, born on February 27th, 1983, and then his brothe Sean Patrick, joined us on November 15th, 1984.
We lived in Winnipeg from July, 1985 to August, 1988, and welcomed a third son; Brenden Everet, born May 22, 1987.
In August, 1988, we moved back to Steinbach, and I took up my studies again. Then, in May, 1990, I graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Studies degree.
Just six weeks after I graduated, I was offered a job by Manitoba Telephone System. I worked there, as a long-distance operator for almost ten years.
When M.T.S. closed our office down in 2000, I became a business partner with my wife, Delia. She had completed a two year course in Massage Therapy, and a full-time Massage Clinic in our home, in 1999. My duties include doing the books, scheduling, reminder calls, and numerous other things related to the business.
That in a nutshell is my story to the current time.
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